Hometown Hockey Tour coming to Winkler

Hometown Hank, the mascot for Rogers Hometown Hockey is in Winkler in preparation for the Hometown Hockey Tour. Mayor Martin Harder wore the costume briefly after a council meeting Feb. 12 to help promote the event. Hank has also been spotted around the city giving out free TimBits and appearing in local businesses. Rogers Hometown Hockey with hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will be in Winkler March 2-3. (GREG VANDERMEULEN/Winkler Times)

More details are becoming available as the City of Winkler prepares for Rogers Hometown Hockey, March 2-3. Presented by Scotiabank and Dodge, the celebration will welcome hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone. The event will also include meet and greet opportunities with NHL Alum Ed Belfour and Dustin Penner, live entertainment and a live Sportsnet NHL broadcast. The event begins in downtown Winkler on Saturday March 2 and concludes with the outdoor viewing party. “The evening’s broadcast kicks off with a special pre-game show hosted by MacLean and Slone live from the Sportsnet mobile studio beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by a showdown between the Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sportsnet, Sportsnet NOW and Rogers NHL LIVE,” a press release stated. The show will also feature a tour of The Ens Heritage Homestead – a well preserved farm that demonstrates how Mennonites from Russia organized their early settlements in Southern Manitoba. There are many features to the festival that runs noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and noon to the end of the hockey game on Sunday. • Rogers Fan Hub: Rogers celebrates your community within the Fan Hub. Help support local minor hockey and participate in fun and interactive experiences, autograph signings with NHL alum Ed Belfour, video game stations, bubble hockey, and popcorn! • Sportsnet Virtual Photo Booth and Interactive Games: Fans have the chance to get close to their favourite players through virtual technology. Fans can take photos with virtual images of NHL stars, and have the photo emailed directly to their device for social sharing and their chance to win great prizes. In addition, hockey players of all ages will be able to show off their hockey skills and see how they match up to the NHL stars! • The Hockey Circus Show: Come see Paz, our world-renowned hockey acrobat! Paz juggles everything from pucks to flaming hockey sticks all while standing on top of a net. It is an experience that the family will never forget. • Scotiabank Community Hockey Rink: A family-friendly outdoor hockey space to engage hockey fans, interact with NHL alumni, celebrate the game and play ball hockey. Scotiabank will also be donating $15,000 to minor hockey associations in the community. • Ram Haul of Fame: Features the Ram 1500 in a hockey-themed obstacle course that will test the skills of fans of all ages. Also, fans have the opportunity to enter the Breakaway Giveaway contest to win an all-new 2019 Ram 1500 for their family and $5,000 for their local minor hockey association. All contest entrants will receive a free branded giveaway courtesy of Dodge. • Dr. Oetker Giuseppe Pizzeria: Fans can enjoy a complimentary slice of Giuseppe Pizzeria pizza fresh out of the oven, and learn more about the Find Giuseppe contest with many great prizes to be won! • Tim Hortons: As fans are enjoying the festival, warm up with a complimentary coffee or hot chocolate from the Tim Hortons mobile truck. • Playmobil Kids Zone: Fans have the chance to face off against friends and family with the PLAYMOBIL NHL Arena and its lineup of NHL figures. In the zone, fans will also be able to enter to win a new NHL playset. • Live Local Entertainment: Live music featured throughout the weekend beginning with Tyler Del Pino performing on Saturday followed by The Color on Sunday. • Ted Rogers Community Grants: Ted Rogers Community Grants are being awarded to local Canadian organizations to help support educational programs that enable Canadian youth to succeed inside and outside the classroom, including in Winkler. • Giving Together to support hockey in your community: Every week, Rogers is also Giving Together to support hockey in local communities. Attendees can participate in giving back through 50/50 draws or by purchasing popcorn and food from the on-site BBQ. All proceeds are donated to minor hockey organizations. Contest Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour has announced a contest called Paint the Town Red. Simply decorate your business storefronts or homes with a red Rogers Hometown Hockey theme, then snap a photo and share it on social media with the tag #yeswinkler. One business and one home will win an “exclusive on-site experience”. The contest ends Feb. 25 and winners will be announced Feb. 26. Winners will be contacted directly by the City of Winkler.

Presented by Scotiabank and Dodge, the celebration will welcome hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone.